DWI charge follows hospital transport in Rochester

ROCHESTER — One man was charged with Driving While Intoxicated Friday night after driving his truck into a ditch off Salmon Falls Road.

Stephen Czarnecki, 58, of Eliot, Maine, was transported and released from the hospital on $1,500 personal recognizance bail and is scheduled to appear in court Dec. 17.

Police responded to a call at about 7:21 p.m. for the report of a man trapped in his truck after the truck failed to make a turn in the road. He was driving a Ford F-550 with Maine plates near the intersection of Whitehall Road, according to Sgt. Patrick Emerson.

The man was extricated his truck and police described a “heavy duty tow truck” was used to get his vehicle out of the ditch.

The man was traveling south on Salmon Falls road toward the Somersworth and Berwick, Maine area.

Emerson said that particular area of roadway was lined by a very deep ditch and front end of the Ford became wedged over the side of the road.

He believed the driver was removed by emergency personnel from the vehicle.

“It looks like they had to pull him out through the window,” he said.

The man was transported by ambulance to Frisbie Memorial Hospital.

Rochester police and fire departments responded and remained on scene, and the road remained closed for roughly an hour.